


Developed From The Negatives

by LittleAndikin



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: BB8 Is A Child, Background Character Death, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Poe And Finn Are Brothers, Rey is a photographer, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:07:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25877908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleAndikin/pseuds/LittleAndikin
Summary: The one where Rey is an up and coming photographer hired by Resistance New York Magazine for their new travel column and Ben Solo is the one who has to write that column. Traveling to a new location each week is exciting, but not so much when your asshole of a co-worker makes things just a little complicated.
Relationships: Finn/Rose Tico, Kaydel Ko Connix/Poe Dameron, Kylo Ren/Rey, Mentions Of Past Poe Dameron/Jessika Pava, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 3
Kudos: 18





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Please excuse me whilst I insert some random jargon about this being my first fic on here and haven't written anything for wayyyyy too long. I really hope you enjoy this fic, it's been an idea I've had for quite a while so I'm hoping to update every week, depending on how long it takes me to edit. 
> 
> This is definitely a work in progress and I currently don't have a beta reader so please excuse any grammatical errors or anything of that sort.
> 
> \- Andrea x

**10 Minutes**

Rey was about to implode. The way her body was shaking violently and her stomach had twisted into tight coils could imply nothing else.

Taking a deep breath, she poured herself a cup of coffee, the fifth she'd had that afternoon and took a small sip - The warm liquid running over her tongue, providing that temporary relief she'd been craving since the last mug had been emptied. It was idiotic to get this worked up over an interview of all things; Rey knew that. She'd suffered through plenty in her life: school papers, college applications, internships, jobs, and yet none of it had prepared her in the slightest for an interview with the Editor in Chief of one of the biggest magazines in the country.

Chancing a glance through the open door into her bedroom, her eyes locked onto the screen of her old computer, sat patiently on the bed as if challenging her to step closer. It was almost as if it knew she'd been avoiding the infernal thing like the plague from the moment she'd been told the interview would take place over a zoom session of all things.

Perhaps it was old fashioned, but Rey would have much rather preferred meeting in person. The bustling crowds in the subway station mixed with the general chaos that came with living in Manhattan would have provided a much-needed distraction as she'd made her way to the monstrosity that was Resistance New York HQ. She'd have been forced to choose an outfit and stick with it rather than changing her blouse four times in the past half hour and would have found herself face to face with an actual human being and not a pixelated replica.

Instead, she was slowly going insane, listening to the steady ticking of her kitchen clock, left alone with nothing but her thoughts and the kettle.

**8 Minutes**

Three Weeks. That was how long she'd waited for a reply. Three weeks spent fretting and almost giving up on the whole idea had led her right to this moment. Rey's portfolio was, quite frankly, a mess. She was acutely aware of not only this but also the fact that she had little to no professional experience - her only jobs being favours for friends whom she flatly refused to take money from and a couple of internships that had amounted to nothing. Thinking about it now, these people must have been crazy to even so much as entertain the idea of hiring someone so ill experienced. Yet, there she was, semi-ready and waiting for a call that had all the potential to change her life forever.

Well, maybe that was over exaggerating a tad, but it would still be an amazing opportunity.

Despite her mess of a portfolio and lack of experience, the feedback she'd received had been nothing but positive, and Rey almost dared to believe she might have a chance - a small chance but a chance. Someone at Resistance New York Magazine had liked her photographs enough to want to get to know the person who took them. That alone was a huge accomplishment and something she'd been replaying in her head ever since receiving the email, just to calm the ever-growing anxiety building within her. There was still plenty of time for something to go wrong and with her history: it was very likely that it would.

Suddenly freezing in place and pretending she'd lost connection halfway through sounded like a pretty good plan B.

**5 Minutes**

Rey dragged herself back closer and closer to what she believed was impending doom. Applying had been something she'd done on a whim. It was her roommate who'd found the ad, bursting into her room one morning and throwing open the curtains.

Rey had practically hissed at the sudden intrusion of sunlight, both literally with the curtains and figuratively with the early bird that was Rose Tico. She'd buried her head under her pillow and groaned loudly, trying to drown out the chirpy good mornings being thrown her way.

"What time is it?" she whined into the pillow, really hoping there was a reason for all of this.

Rose ignored her, choosing instead to flop down onto the bed beside her and rip the cushion from over her head, replacing it with a magazine.

Rey frowned, taking a hold of it and sitting up slightly, a little confused, and very much still half asleep.

"You'll see. I marked the page for you." Her roommate had stated simply, clearly deciding not to divulge any further.

Rey shot a confused look in her direction and wiped the sleep from her eyes, trying to find the right page. In reality, it must have taken a total of about ten seconds, but the way Rose was looking at her and fidgeting, you'd think she'd been taking hours.

Her eyes scanned the page, searching for what could have been the cause before finally landing on an ad, buried between a recipe for vegan lasagna and an advice column towards the back.

Resistance New York is currently searching for a highly skilled photographer to work on our brand new travel column beginning the first of June. You will work closely with our team to showcase the best of New York from its most popular tourist attractions to the weird and wonderful hidden gems. Professional experience preferred but not required. Must be comfortable editing your work. If interested, please send a copy of your portfolio and a resume to Editor in Chief, Leia Organa.

Rey could hardly help the rising excitement that swelled within her as she reread the column just to make sure she wasn't dreaming. This was a huge opportunity and there was no denying it. Working for Resistance New York would undoubtedly be the experience of a lifetime and having a name like that on her resume could come in pretty handy in the future.

She'd been quick to end that train of thought.

"I'd love to..." she'd smiled sadly, trying not to disappoint her still beaming roommate who seemed so excited to discuss the opportunity, "but you know they'd never hire me. Especially not over someone who's already had professional experience."

"Rey! You don't give yourself enough credit!" That was clearly not the reaction she'd been hoping for. "You never know unless you apply, right? The worst they can do is say no."

"Which they will."

Rose threw her a stern look that told her not to even start with that kind of talk.

Rey sighed and rolled her eyes, but smiled slightly.

"I'll think about it," She'd finally conceded, hoping that would appease the bundle of energy sat at the edge of her bed.

Rose's eyes widened, filled with hope. "Really?" Rey could have sworn she was about to start jumping on the bed.

"Sure," she'd giggled softly at her friend's enthusiasm. "What's the harm in trying?"

"Do, or do not. There is no try,"

Rey laughed slightly, rolling her eyes again at the quote. One she'd heard way too many times whilst being forced to watch those old space movies she loved so much and, okay, maybe Rey loved them too. She found the clipping, cut out neatly, and stuck with a magnet, on their fridge later in the day. She knew Rose had been right. What was the worst that could happen? So, she applied.

**2 Minutes**

If anyone else had been in the tiny flat Rey shared that day, they might have thought she looked insane, dressed in formal wear from her torso up with some light makeup on her face but wearing nothing but her pyjama shorts and bedsocks on the bottom. 

That was for sure something only a zoom interview would allow for, something Rey had no experience of whatsoever. She chalked it down to the Editor in Chief being a very busy woman who was probably having to meet a lot of people or, maybe she was a germaphobe and didn't enjoy having to hand out handshakes to strangers all day.

She supposed that made sense. Though, admittedly any explanation she came up with was better than the likely truth that they'd already written her off.

Rey focused as she tried her best to set her laptop in a place that could convince them she was sitting at a desk she didn't own. It was a difficult task, but she managed to eventually balance it on top of a stack of books and old DVDs that had somehow managed to Tetris together after multiple failed attempts.

Just a month ago, she'd almost convinced herself to move back home - almost. Rey had slaved away for what felt like an eternity in New York, going through college whilst also working at Maz's diner as many nights a week possible. She'd even managed to snag a couple of internships after graduation, but they'd hardly been better. The men working there had always seemed to look at her as more of a coffee girl with a pretty face than someone with good ideas and genuine talent. It hadn't taken her very long to quit from both, finding them just as bad as each other and believing the 'experience' she was being paid in wasn't exactly the kind of experience she'd been hoping for.

Rey was only a year out of college, but that didn't stop her worrying about the fact that maybe her career would never take off and she'd have to return home with nothing to show for her hard work and facing an 'I told you so' from every corner. Rose's news had been a bit of saving grace, but she knew it could still all come to nothing. After all, it was hard to believe in herself when it seemed no one else did, but she at least had friends here. Back home, there was no one.

**1 Minute**

Rey drummed her fingers impatiently on her lap as she waited, humming a familiar tune to herself to try and relax. She'd heard good things about the woman she was about to find herself in a conversation with. Even in such a high position of power, it was said that she was both equally kind and fair as she was firm.

God, she hoped that that was true.

Rey liked to think she was a good speaker. She'd learned early how to stand up for herself and knew it took great strength to get where she wanted to be. She was su-

Her train of thought was cut off suddenly as the screen of her computer lit up with a call. She was lucky to have not kicked it from its perch with the amount her body had jumped in shock. She was being called one whole minute early and was pretty sure her heart had stopped. The time on her screen confirmed it. Definitely a minute early. She'd thought she had more time, even if it was only a matter of seconds. Though, she supposed if she wasn't ready now then mere seconds weren't going to help.

The ringing continued, that telltale sound that someone was there just waiting for an answer and, it would be rude to make her wait.

With a deep breath and a shaky smile, she moved the cursor, hovering for a second before finally clicking accept.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you enjoyed this little prologue. I know it's a tad slow but I felt like it was important to establish a little bit about Rey and how she gets the job. Feel free to let me know what you think in the comments :)


	2. The First Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey experiences her first day at Resistance New York Magazine with some very mixed results...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One day I promise to actually stick to my own deadlines yeesh..
> 
> Any spelling errors or grammatical errors will be fixed throughout the week so expect a few tweaks here and there. Hope You all enjoy guys :)

**CHAPTER ONE**

**The First Day**

"Team meetings will be held at nine o'clock every Monday and Wednesday to assign new tasks and check progress."

"You're entitled to one hour for your lunch break and one hour only."

"We use our own editing software here. It's fairly simple, but I'll have someone walk you through it in case you get lost."

"Any questions?"

Rey hadn't quite realised the pace she'd been moving till she'd found herself at a sudden stop, almost slamming into the back of her new employer. She had one question and one question only, but the idea of asking the violet haired woman to repeat everything when she'd barely been there half an hour didn't exactly seem like the best idea. It wasn't as though she hadn't at least been trying to take in the information. Rey had been desperately grasping at everything being thrown her way. It just so happened that her brain had been more occupied with trying to keep up when racing through the office and not tripping over her own feet in the meantime.

*

By the time she'd reached the subway that morning, it was already bustling with people, all eager to get somewhere. A simple black shoulder bag hung at her side, complimenting the rest of an outfit she'd bought specifically for that day. Her skirt clung tight to her legs but was at a modest length, accompanied by a pair of dark tights and a peach-colored blouse that she'd even taken the time to iron. Well tried to iron. At some point, Rose had stopped her, claiming she was going to end with a burn mark in the shape of an iron on her breast.

As soon as the train pulled up, she'd slid into the nearest carriage, slipping through gaps between the mass of people who'd packed themselves into the relatively compact space like sardines in a can. It could only ever be in New York that you'd find yourself stuck between an older lady holding a pram and a rather stout man reading that week's edition of The First Order.

Especially when that pram was either holding a Chihuahua or a very hairy baby inside and the man was in a bright purple suit.

Those bojutsu classes she'd been taking were a blessing in situations like these. Not just for defense if anyone decided to do anything they shouldn't, but also for keeping her small frame. Battling her way out of a train carriage wasn't something she fancied doing any time soon.

A sigh of relief left her lips as the train began to move. It had only been three minutes late, but three minutes were still enough to have thrown her slightly. Everything had to go right today. She couldn't afford any slip-ups, even if they had seemed rather enthusiastic to hire her - for some reason. At least for now, she could relax and let the energy and excitement return to her body. She even dared to let the smile that had been teasing at the corners of her lips show through. It was safe to assume many of the people surrounding her were in a similar predicament, all dressed for work and checking their watches or phones periodically, but not one seemed anywhere near as happy as the young brunette. It was like watching a child on the way to their first day of school.

Stepping out of the subway, everything had suddenly become a blur. Resistance New York was not a hard building to miss. Even in a city full of monstrous towers that brushed the clouds, your eye was immediately drawn to the mirrored building. The company name stood proudly against it, spelled out in a vibrant blue alongside a logo that was instantly recognisable to almost anyone that passed by. Though it was so high up that reading it had made her dizzy, or maybe that had come from the idea of having to enter this giant.

It wasn't as if she could turn away now. Not when she'd come so far and especially not when the girl behind the reception desk was staring at her through the large, glass windows of the ground floor like she was some sort of madwoman.

No, she couldn't just leave. Instead, she smiled politely as if that was the intention of the staring, stood straight, and made her way through the revolving door. The urge to run around it like in that Christmas movie Rose had forced her to watch was strong, but somehow she maintained her composure and strode on.

"Rey Abrams here to see Ms. Holdo."

Rey had recited the sentence in her head those few steps it took to greet the girl at the front desk, not wanting to trip over her words. Everything about the place was more lavish than she could even dream of. Even the pencil holder sat neatly on the front desk looked like it had cost more than her apartment did. The girl sat behind the desk was no exception. Her hair was slicked back neatly into a high ponytail exaggerating her high cheekbones and sleek attire. It was rare Rey ever felt self-conscious about her appearance purely because she didn't think about it much, but this was definitely one of those times.

The girl, Bazine, as her name tag suggested, didn't respond. She'd barely even looked at her, albeit to scan the outfit Rey had chosen that morning, clearly dissatisfied and deeming her unworthy of a second glance.

"Floor 58, second room on the left. Ms. Holdo will be with you shortly," she eventually replied, sounding increasingly bored with the conversation. Rey had to resist the urge to roll her eyes instead, gritting her teeth and plastering a false smile onto her face as she thanked her before turning towards the lift.

*

"Our first meeting will be at 9 o'clock so, feel free to take some time to settle in. I'm sorry I can't give the full tour at the moment, but I'll make sure to ask someone after the meeting. It's a pleasure to have you here with us, Miss. Abrams. I've heard great things."

With that, she was gone. Almost as if she had never been there in the first place. Rey stood still for a moment, still processing the information and only moving when she'd realised just how much of an idiot she must have looked; lips slightly parted and eyes wide. Amilyn had left her right outside of what could only be described as a grey box with her name hastily scribbled onto a piece of paper and plastered on to the door - misspelled. Not that she cared. It wasn't really her name anyway.

The box was empty, albeit any items that were necessary for labeling it an office. Metal drawers sat in one corner, next to a rather flimsy looking coat rack and two monitors sat atop a desk that tilted when she'd leaned on it.

It was perfect.

Rey practically buzzed with excitement, parking herself in the wheely chair, - no, that's not their professional name - and spinning in a circle.

She didn't care that the head of her team had barely had time to learn her name - evidenced by the 'Ahebrems' written on the door.  
  
She didn't care that she would have to wedge something under her desk to be able to work at it without everything slipping off.  
  
She didn't care that the girl at the desk had been, for lack of a better phrase, a complete bitch.  
  
She didn't even care that someone had definitely caught her gawking in stunned silence mere moments ago.

She was there, surrounded by professionals with a real job and a real chance at a career. That was all that mattered.

Leia had hired her almost instantly; the interview had only taken place as a formality rather than anything else. Of course - Rey had accepted. She'd barely been able to contain the sheer ecstasy that washed over her at the prospect of finally gaining her first professional job as a photographer.  
  
"It's amazing," she'd told Rose as soon as her roommate had come back home from work.

"I get to travel to a new location every week. Then all I have to do is some light editing in my office - I get my own office, can you believe it? - After that, it's just choosing the right images so they can piece the column together."

"See, I told you applying for that job was a great idea! Now all you have to do is say thank you, Rose. You're very smart and beautiful, _and_ I should listen to you more often, my queen."

Rey giggled and rolled her eyes, reciting the scripted thank you back to her friend. Despite the playful tone, she truly meant every word. Rose was probably the closest thing she had to a family. She'd been the first person to actually speak to the 'weird British girl' when they'd arrived at college, and the pair had immediately clicked.

"Wow, what a delightful and unexpected compliment Rey. Thank you." She gushed dramatically, placing her hands on her heart and making the two laugh even harder.

Rey was desperate to get started, her leg jumping in anticipation from under her desk as she glanced yet again at the time on her computer; the feeling was quickly becoming a regular occurrence in her life. It was almost a relief when she'd deemed the time enough to get her there without being too early, and Rey was quick to pick up her notepad and pen - she wasn't making that mistake again. 

Of course, that time had still been too early, and the sense of pride she'd felt at being the first one there was quickly replaced with the worry that once again, she was embarrassing herself by being too eager. Embarrassment - That seemed to be a theme for her first day.

*

She'd shaken her head, walking away after the encounter with the reception girl. Bazine was only one person in the whole building of workers. Just because she was rude, didn't mean that she was going to be surrounded by a whole team of assholes, right? She wasn't so sure she could deal with that kind of environment again.

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes in an attempt to relax. The sudden crushing fear that she might have been jumping into something way out of her depth had hit her like a ton of bricks. What if she just wasn't good enough?

As a child, Rey had been nothing but optimistic. She'd been certain that her parents were coming back for her. She'd been certain she was destined for something greater than what she'd been given. Now, Rey wasn't even certain she could afford to buy herself lunch and still be able to pay Rose her half of the rent that month.

Rey had been so busy trying to soothe her nerves that the girl hadn't even noticed that (1) she hadn't pressed her floor number yet, (2) she was no longer alone and, (3) someone was talking to her.

"What floor?" A voice asked, low and resonant. It was only then that she finally opened her eyes and looked to the source of this voice.

Instantly, she found herself greeted by a pair of dark eyes, searching for an answer. Of course, giving that answer was just about the last thing on her mind as she took this man in, still staring into those bottomless pools of black. She wasn't entirely sure she even remembered the question.

How she'd managed to miss this man walking into the lift was a complete mystery since he was, for lack of a better word, absolutely enormous. He was also ridiculously attractive, but that was a different issue altogether.

It was then, mouth slightly parted and eyes wide, Rey finally remembered a far more important factor about this beautiful, enormous man.

He was still waiting for an answer.

"Oh, um- 58 please," she muttered, stumbling over her words slightly and mentally facepalming in embarrassment. So much for her confident, 'I'm a professional' approach.

Fortunately for the ounce of dignity, she still held - whether the man had noticed her gawking, awkward reply, or just general embarrassing self, remained a complete mystery. He simply pushed the correct button, the number 58, and no other. So, this torture could continue when they both walked out on the same floor.

Rey couldn't help but glance his way through the mirrored door that stood in front of them. He really was handsome, but in a peculiar way, she couldn't quite put her finger on. His face was angular, scattered with a few moles that made her wonder why anyone would call them 'imperfections' and, his ears were a little big, peeking out from underneath dark hair that just barely brushed the collar of his shirt. Though, all of this, accompanied by the fact his youthful appearance told her he wasn't much older than she was, just seemed to make him all the more endearing.

The trance this man had seemed to put her under broke instantly at the sound of a loud ringing coming from within her purse. The noise had made her jump so sharply that it had slipped from her shoulder and spilled its pitiful contents onto the floor. She scrambled to pick it up, cheeks burning even wilder than they had been before if that was even possible at this point. It was unusual for her to feel like this, especially with someone she'd just met, and yet there she was, making a fool out of herself.

This just had to be the slowest lift she'd ever been in.

Rey breathed out a puff of air, eventually deciding she should apologize with the last straw being this beautiful man having to bend down and pick up her Burts Beeswax that she'd missed off of the floor.

"I'm sorry," she laughed lightly, trying her best to see the humor in the situation. If not, then it wasn't unlikely she'd end up breaking down in tears in front of a perfect stranger just because everything seemed to be going wrong.

He didn't respond, albeit a polite nod of acknowledgment; didn't even turn his head in her direction. So why she then decided to carry on speaking remained a complete mystery.

"It's my first day and, I've already embarrassed myself more times than I can count. I'm starting to question how I even got this far."

The stranger still didn't meet her eyes, his steely gaze fixed on the now opening doors of the lift. She'd barely even finished her sentence before he'd replied.

"Maybe you shouldn't be here then," he stated coolly, still not turning his head as he walked out, leaving her dumbstruck and in the lift, alone.

Rey remained stuck in place for a moment after the encounter, any attraction towards the man who'd been standing beside here mere seconds ago, washing away in an instant. Well, at least any attraction deeper than physical. It took the closing of the doors of the lift to wake the girl from her momentary stupor. She jumped and reached an arm out to stop them, managing just in time to be able to step out and onto the 58th floor. Part of her was screaming to turn around and run, never looking back, but Rey had never run from any situation, always putting on a brave face and moving forward. She wasn't about to start running now, especially when she was so close to getting exactly what she wanted. Besides, that would just prove that man and his large ears right and, that was the last thing she wanted. She deserved to be here. They could have hired absolutely anyone for this position, and yet they chose her. They took a chance on that poor girl raised in foster homes from across the world because they saw her talent and ambition. Now all she needed to do was see that in herself too.

*

Luckily, she didn't have to wait too long as her team began to filter into the small room. Sleek, modern - everything you'd expect from a successful business meeting room. Sliding into a seat, she took out her notepad and pen, scribbling in the corner to make sure it worked before writing the date as a good pupil would.

She'd somehow managed to situate herself between two girls that appeared to be a similar age to herself: One was busy speaking to the man beside her, two buns atop her head, the other had immediately introduced herself as Tallie. It had instantly calmed her nerves to know at least someone seemed eager to meet her, the girl being as polite and friendly as one could hope for in a coworker.

Of course, the excitement was still there, bubbling underneath everything. She was eager to get started, not even phased by her elevator blunder with Mr. I think I'm better than everyone who was sat, silently brooding with a stern expression on his face. Well, maybe she was a little phased but not enough to give up just yet. He would have to do a lot better than a snarky comment to even come close to what she'd faced in the past.

Amilyn was the last to enter the room, her presence immediately drawing any light conversation happening to a close as all attention snapped to her in an instant.

"Okay, now that we have everyone here, let's get started," She smiled, seemingly just as eager as most of the faces around her, including Rey.

"As you're all aware, we will be starting a new column for the magazine beginning soon and, I want to get a start as quickly as possible. This column will be prominently focused on showcasing the best places to visit from New York. Of course, this will include the more high profile locations, but we want to be able to focus more on the hidden gems of the city." Rey nodded along, hanging on to every word yet again and highlighting 'hidden gems' in her notepad.

"I know our research team already has plenty of ideas so, I'll hand you over to Kaydel and Mr. Dameron in just a moment. First, let me introduce Miss. Abrams. " Amilyn smiled warmly at her, extending a hand in her direction and leading all eyes towards where she was now sinking into her chair as if it would somehow hide the growing blush on her cheeks.

"Rey here will be taking photographs of the location for our article so you and Benjamin will be traveling to a new location each week. Benjamin will be writing the article and will be in his best behavior, right?"

Rey couldn't tell if Amilyn was being serious or just teasing, but either way 'Benjamin' - who turned out to be the arse from the lift - nodded, looking not at all amused by the comment. Though several others in the team held back snickers unsuccessfully.

Rey would have laughed herself had the realization that she would be the one traveling with this man not set in so quickly, causing an instant panic, her fight or flight instinct threatening to come forth. Had Rey been at the company for any longer than an hour, she would have marched herself back to her team leader's office and protested but she really couldn't afford to lose this job. Quite literally in fact.

She chanced a look at 'Benjamin' just to see he was looking right back at her, his eyes darting away quickly, knowing he'd been caught. It gave her a small sense of pride to know he at least had the decency to look just as unnerved and perhaps maybe even slightly guilty. Though, common sense told her he was probably just as equally disturbed by the idea of having to spend any extended periods of time together.

Her thoughts were suddenly cut off as Amilyn's voice took center stage yet again. "Now Mr. Dameron, over to your team."

The man sat two seats down from her stood, glancing down at Miss. Two buns with a small smile before addressing the room.

"Alright, so the research team and I have been taking a little look and we have some really great places in mind. We thought we'd start with somewhere we already know though to draw readers in and capture their attention. Make them look at something they're familiar with and draw out information that they're not so familiar with. Make people want to visit all over again. So, we decided to go with the statue of liberty this week. It's easy to get to and we don't have to get a license to print photos which is something we're working on for other places down the road."

Rey listened carefully. She'd never been to the statue of liberty so the whole concept was extremely exciting. Others seemed to think so too, though it would only be her and 'Benjamin' who would get to go.

A full day alone with the world's grumpiest man... How fun.

Amilyn handed out some other assignments and discussed how the column would come together, allowing her to take down as many notes as possible, even if she wouldn't need them all before the meeting eventually came to an end. Her eyes scanned the table, skipping past Benjamin deliberately before landing on Mr. Dameron.

"Mr. Dameron, would you show Miss. Abrams around the office, please?" She smiled politely before dismissing everyone.

The man smiled boyishly and nodded an "of course," before standing as Amilyn rest a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "I leave you in good hands," she stated promptly, disappearing in an instant just as she had done before and leaving the pair alone. The man stood with his hand out, still smiling and looking rather dashing.

Was everyone in this building insanely attractive?

"Hi, I'm Poe. Poe Dameron," he greeted her.

"Rey," she smiled back, shaking his hand. After her encounter with the man in the lift, she was a little nervous meeting anyone else. Well, even more, nervous than she usually was when meeting people but she'd always been very good at hiding that. Poe made her feel instantly at ease, however. His kind eyes and charming smile suggesting he was nothing but a complete gentleman. At least in the workplace.

He nodded and tucked his hands into his pockets. "So let me show you around."

With that, he started to walk, only a step or so ahead of Rey as he moved.

"So I'm guessing Holdo gave you a brief rundown of everything?"

Rey was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts as the beautiful man spoke, looking over his shoulder as he moved through the office at a much slower pace than Amilyn had been. Though, anything that wasn't practically a jog was slower than that.

"She did but honestly it's all a bit of a blur," she admitted, causing him to chuckle.

"Yeah, she can kinda be like that but you get used to it. She's a strong leader," he nodded.

Their first stop was a large communal area, complete with a kitchen consisting of a sink, microwave, and a fridge that he claimed was always stocked with food for the entire floor. Rey tried not to seem too excited, though she was practically drooling at the set of pastries laid out on the counter just begging her to take one - or five. Surrounding the area was a myriad of different chairs and tables, all at different levels of comfort but sporting the same vibrant blue found in the companies logo.

Poe must have spotted her staring at the pastries as she heard him stop whatever information he was giving to chuckle and let her know she could take whatever she wanted.

She did _not_ have to be told twice.

Rey picked up a couple of muffins, not even caring what this man thought of her for picking up more than one. She'd pick up more if she had the hands.

"How are you not in there all the time?" she asked.

"Trust me, when you've worked here for as long as I have, you can only have so much of that stuff. It's still a good place to spend your breaks though," he replied before walking to continue their tour.

"How long have you worked here?" She asked, curiously, following after him again.

"10 years. Started as an intern when Leia was just starting to build the place up."

"And you've always been in research?"

"No, but I wanted to jump on this new column. It's always exciting to have a new project and meet new people. With the addition of you, our teams complete. Excited for your first trip?"

Rey perked up immediately, swallowing a bite of her muffin.

"I've never been so yeah, I guess you could say I'm very excited"

She really was, even if she did have to travel alone with someone she wasn't so sure wouldn't murder her when she wasn't looking. To get to the Statue required a boat ride and though she could swim, jumping overboard in the middle of the Hudson River wasn't really on her bucket list.

Judging by the laugh that came from Poe, she figured she'd said that out loud. Just when she'd thought her level of embarrassment had reached its peak.

"Ben's not so bad. Not when you get to know him anyway."

They'd stopped in front of her office now as their tour ended, talking quietly as to not interrupt anyone's work. It turns out there wasn't all that much for her to see when it came to what she'd need as part of the team. She'd seen the meeting rooms, the breakroom, and a couple of offices of people she might need to talk to if she needed guidance. One of those offices belonging to a Mr. Benjamin Solo.

"We'll have to see," she shrugged, remembering the elevator encounter.

"We went through high school and college together so I know the guy can be kind of an asshole, but he won't murder you." he chuckled.

Rey was just a little relieved, even if it was stupid to assume so anyway.

"So I'm not sure what editing software you're used to using but we have our own here. It's not too hard to pick up though, especially if you're used to editing which I assume you are. But if you need any help, contact Snap. He's like, the king of everything, even vaguely IT-related." Rey nodded and thanked him, setting her bag down. She already felt so much more comfortable. Poe seemed like a really fun guy, but also someone who was put together?

He left her office after letting her know she could come to find him if she had any questions. That was a huge weight off her shoulders.

*

Rey told Rose everything as soon as she got back home and had changed into some more comfortable clothes. She was stretched out on their couch with her roommate on the floor, back to the chair, letting her braid her hair as they watched some old movie they'd both seen a dozen times before.

"Wait, so everyone was cute?"

"That was all you picked up from that?"

Rose laughed slightly, causing Rey to pull on her hair to get her to stop moving.

"No, of course not. I just think it's important. Also, Poe Dameron? Yeah, that's Finn's brother."

Rey suddenly stopped and pulled a face. Surely this was something she could have told her before? Rose had been dating Finn for a couple of months with Rey only having met the man once or twice but still...

"What? But they don-"

"Adopted."

Well, that answered that question. Rey nodded, understanding.

"Why didn't you tell me he worked there?"  
  
"I forgot. Honestly, I didn't even make the connection until you told me his last name. So back to this Benjamin guy. He really said that?"

Rey sighed, starting to work on her hair again, having to run her fingers through a couple of knots that made her wince. Definitely not because she was a little mad she hadn't been told about this.

"Yup. Then Poe tried to tell me he wasn't an asshole."

"He sounds like a jerk. Honestly, if he says anything on the trip, I'd complain." Rose crossed her arms, her eyes fixed on the movie though Rey could feel how angry her friend was for her. They'd always been very protective of each other.

"I can't complain. I just started."

She shrugged and sighed, Rey having to yet again urge her to keep still before everything came out.

"I'll just have to see where it goes. Take Poe's word for it when he says he isn't as much of an asshole as he lets on. Even if he clearly is."

"I guess... When do you travel?"

"I'm not too sure yet. They haven't worked out all the details, but the magazine comes out on a Saturday, so we'll need time to get everything sorted.

"And they need you every day till whenever you go? What's a photographer supposed to do in an office for a week?"

"I don't even know. Leia mentioned possibly editing some work for some other projects, but apart from that, I can't really think of anything. I guess I'll find out."

Rey turned her attention back to her hair and thought back to her day, hoping the rest of the week would turn out better than her first day. It hadn't been so bad after the meeting. She'd started some of her own research into the statue, enjoyed her muffins, and had lunch with Two Buns (who she found out was actually named Kaydel) and Tallie who was actually super fun.

Still, the thought of the trip yet to come played in the back of her head and she just hoped to God that Benajmin really would be on his best behavior and that she would too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I named Rey after JJ Abrams because honestly how could I not?? Feel free to leave kudos and comments because I literally survive off them haha.


End file.
